“Martinelli wanted my head” — publishing figurehead

Concerns among journalists and human rights groups over the erosion of press freedom in Panama were heightened last week.

Ebrahim Asvat, a Harvard educated lawyer resigned from his post as president of La Estrella and El Siglo a few hours after his last column appeared in print in El Siglo.
A week later, January 27, the following report appeared in La Prensa.

“On Thursday, January 20, 2011, in his latest column, the president of La Estrella and El Siglo, Ebrahim Asvat, wrote: "Mr. President, your silence is complicit. You can not allow the National Police to be headed by human beasts. "
“ In his daily column devoted to the riots of the Juvenile Enforcement Center, which already have taken a toll of five dead, he also said: ‘In your presidential address at the start of the year you said that the the mystique the Director of Police and the Ministry of Security has provides to its staff. has been key in the fight against crime. You were wrong, Mr. President (…) The state can not kill its citizens. It has violated the Constitution. It has applied the death penalty to teenagers. The Panamanians who executed it were officials of your government. I'm embarrassed by your silence.’
“That was his last day in office.
Why quit?
Because I could no longer take the psychological torture. Any president of an independent media outlet is under provides in a democratic country. Here these pressures were beyond normal. So I decided to leave.

What is meant by psychological torture?

Control of what news is carried or not carried. First, the government wants to establish the relationship between the president of the publication and political power, when it should be through journalists. Second, is the concept that the president can ask for the serving of heads on a plate. In my case there was an insistence by Martinelli for my head to the owner of the publication [Abdul Waked]. That might hold for a while, but there came a time when the relationship became so acidic that the natural conflict became psychological torture.

The pressure then was not just the Government but also Waked ?

Indirectly, yes. Ricardo Martinelli's relationship is with Waked. What happened in that relationship had an impact on me.

Did you like the headline on January 21 in which Waked thanked you for his nine years of commitment to his newspapers?

No. I did not think it was right from the editorial viewpoint. It should be on page 2 as an administrative note.

Why you did not participate in the farewell for your departure?

Good question. I resigned and nobody told me there would be a farewell for me.

Why did  Estrella not publish the real reasons for your resignation?

I don’t know, you would have to ask the editor.

What issues generated friction with the executive before your resignation?

Questioning the President was a taboo, as well as their family circle and its relationship with government bodies. It was a constant hammering that broke the camel’s when I was questioned on my last dolumn , and is also connected to the media campaign mounted for four days by Panama America on the families of Waked and Motta, owners, and the Duty Free zone at Tocumen airport.
On your Facebook you claimed pressures by Martinelli. Is he the only one of his Cabinet to restrict freedom of expression?

No, there is the case of Alberto Vallarino, when the subject emerged of the transaction from a hotel where he paid only $23 for the registration fee. It was a tense moment between the owner of the newspaper and Vallarino But the biggest stress is the insistent position of Martinelli.

In an interview with this newspaper in September 2010 you said you were satisfied with the work of Gustavo Pérez. After what happened in the Juvenile Enforcement Center, do you still maintain that position.
Now I have many doubts about where he wants to take the National Police.

In recent days there has been much concern about executive control of the media. How much credit do you give to that?

Yes there is concern There is an ambition to control media. We know what happened to RCM and EPASA) (Panama America). It is common knowledge that government figures are the owners. At EPAS I have spoken with the three businessmen who were the biggest shareholders and all told me that they are now minority shareholders. It appeared as if those who made the purchase and now say that, they are minority shareholder, then who is the owner? In addition, the close relationship of the now associate director of EPAS [Santiago Fascetto] and the executive is something of public record.

The best thing this government has done?

The 100 for 70. [a program giving 70 year old $100]

And the worst?

Undermining democratic institutions. With the ambition to control, and the indifference of the Panamanians, we lose what we achieved.

Describe Ricardo Martinelli.

His style of government is similar to his business method and that's a big mistake, because the government is a balance of interests and needs, not impositions. He is expansive in terms of accumulation of power. He is dissatisfied with the power he wields. He is always looking for more and more and more.

Did you vote for him?

Yes, and I hope to rectify that. Sometimes I think his rude and aggressive management is the result of inexperience. You have to open sincere channels of communication and, because sometimes not know when he is lieing … and that does not inspire confidence or credibility.

Make a reflection on the outlook for freedom of expression in the remainder of this government.

We expect very tense moments. I do not sense that things will change. We will keep constantly on the lookout, the impositions, he will fire people and buy journalists. That is the way to keep the country entertained

BACKGROUND.  Ebrahim  Asvatwas born in Panama in 1955. He graduated in Law from the University Santa María la Antigua and holds a Masters of Law at Harvard. He is a artner of the firm Patton, Moreno & Asvat, and  was the first civilian director of the National Police, and a university professor for 12 years. From 2001 until six days ago he presided over  Estrealla and El Siglo.